When talking about prevention of cancer, routine tests are not sufficient if you want to be on the safe side. What’s important is to...

When talking about prevention of cancer, routine tests are not sufficient if you want to be on the safe side. What’s important is to listen to your body and notice when something’s different, unexplainable, and odd. Therefore, take a look at some of these symptoms that are commonly overlooked:

Shortness of breath or wheezing

According to lung cancer patients, one of the first signs they remember noticing is the inability to catch their breath.

Chest ache and chronic cough

Leukemia and lung cancers can cause symptoms like coughing and bronchitis. Moreover, chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm could also be a sign of lung cancer.

Frequent fevers and infections

These signs could point out to leukemia, cancer of the blood cells which begins in the bone marrow. Hence, leukemia causes abnormal production of white blood cells, thus decreasing the body’s ability to fight off infections.

Difficulty swallowing

Problems with swallowing are often associated with esophageal, throat, and lung cancer.

Excessive bruising and bleeding which doesn’t stop

These symptoms show that there is something abnormal happening with the platelets and red blood cells, which could be an indicator of leukemia. With time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets, thus impairing the blood’s capability to carry oxygen and to clot.

Fatigue and weakness

These symptoms could point out to many different types of cancer, and usually, you will need to look at it in combination with other symptoms. Nonetheless, when you feel tired without a specific reason and when the tiredness doesn’t go away after a good sleep, you need to consult your physician.

Bloating and abdominal weight gain

Women who suffer from ovarian cancer, reported unexplained abdominal bloating which appeared suddenly and continued on and off for a longer period of time.

Feeling full and unable to eat

Women, who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, said that they have no appetite and cannot eat, even when they haven’t eaten for some time.

Pelvic or abdominal pain

Cramping and pain in the pelvis and abdomen can occur together with bloating which signals ovarian cancer in most of the cases. However, leukemia can also cause abdominal pain due to an enlarged spine.

Rectal bleeding and blood in the stool

This is a common symptom of colorectal cancer. When you notice blood in your stool, immediately consult your physican.

Unexplained weight loss

This symptom usually points out to colon and other digestive cancers. Additionally, it could be a sign of cancer that has spread to the liver, affecting the appetite and the ability of the body to eliminate toxins.

Upset stomach and abdominal pain

Constant cramps and upset stomach may be signs of colorectal cancer.

Swollen, red, or sore breasts

This could be a symptom of an inflammatory breast cancer.

Changes in the nipples

Usually, women who were diagnosed with breast cancer pointed out that their nipples appeared flattened, inverted, or turned sideways.

Heavy or painful periods and bleeding between periods

This could be an indicator of endometrial or uterine cancer. Ask for a transvaginal ultrasound if you suspect that there is more going on than routine heavy periods.

Swollen face

A lot of patients with lung cancer report puffiness, swelling, or redness in the face. Hence, small cell lung tumors block the blood vessels in the chest, thus, preventing the blood from flowing freely from your head and face.

A sore or a skin lump that doesn’t heal and becomes crusty or bleeds

You should learn the symptoms of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma- different types of skin cancer, and always check your skin all over your body for odd spots and growths.

Changes in the nails

Fingernail changes could indicate several cancers. For example, a brown or black streak or a dot under the nail could be a symptom of skin cancer, whereas the newly-discovered “clubbing”- enlargement of the ends of the finger with nails that curve down over the tips- could indicate lung cancer. Furthermore, pale or white nails could sometimes be a symptom of liver cancer.

Pain in the back or lower right side

A lot of cancer patients reported this as the first symptom of liver cancer. Additionally, breast cancer is also tied to back pain which develops when the tumor presses backward into the chest, or when the cancer spreads to the ribs and spine.